Courier-Post from Camden, New Jersey • Page 37

Sunday, December 14, 2003 www.couricrpostonline.com Coll. basketball 2-3 Inside South Jersey's coaches and leagues have their say, as the region's many high school all-conference teams are revealed Pages 8-11, 18 Coming tomorrow Meet Brandon Dunn, a 16-year-old Timber Creek High School sophomore, who is a rising star in his sport. DOltS NFL 4-5 NHL 6 Vars. Extra 7-11, 18 NBA 14-15, 21 TV listings 23 I i i i i panastasiacourierposton1ine.com Sports, Editor Phil Anastasia (856) 486-2424 TTh Devils sfomewa Flyers Goalie posts shutout as New Jersey wins 2-0 By CHUCK GORMLEY Courier-Post Staff PHILADELPHIA Contrary to Flyers coach Ken Hitchcock's theories, the reason the Flyers can't beat the New Jersey Devils has nothing to do with what's between their ears. It has everything to do with what's between the brunner.

"They came to do just one thing and that was to play defense and hope their goalie swept up all the messes," Hitchcock said. "They kept five guys back and waited for that one break." That break came midway through the second period when Sami Kapanen fanned See FLYERS, Page6C Chuck Gormley: Work stoppage could end careers of some Flyers. 6C on Saturday night, that seemed just fine with the Devils, who received goals from grinders Grant Marshall and Mike Rupp on a night they were missing two of their best forwards, John Madden and Jamie Langen- great goalie and he stole the show tonight," Flyers goal-tender Jeff Hackett said after watching Brodeur stop 32 shots for his league-leading seventh shutout. "We have to find a way to beat those guys if we want to get the respect we long to pipes. For the second straight night, Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur was the difference between a Flyers win and, at least on Saturday night, a crushing 2-0 loss.

"We all know Marty's a have." The Flyers' loss, which came in front of a season-high 19,702 fans at the Wachovia Center, was their First home defeat of the season, snapping a 12-0-2 streak. It also raised this question: Are the Flyers any more prepared to beat the Devils than they have been at any other point in the past 10 seasons? The short answer is that as long as the Devils have Brodeur, no. In the two games, the Flyers outshot the Devils 72-43 but were outscored 5-3. And C.J. Group 1 championship: Florence 21, Keyport 14 DmictredloEbSe rally ops simrprise seasom Westbrook TD return reversed fortunes s.

1 1 By DON BENEVENTO Courier-Post Staff MIAMI The Eagles are going into the weekend with a chance to clinch their third straight NFC East Championship, a milestone that seemed beyond hope for more than a quarter of the season. The Eagles not only began the season 0-2, they were within a whisker of falling to 2-4 after losing to the Cowboys and trailing 10-7 to the Giants with less than two minutes to play. And then it happened. Coming from nowhere and without warning, Brian Westbrook caught a punt, and he took it down the sideline for an 84-yard touchdown with 1 minute, 16 seconds to play in the game. Suddenly, a sure loss became a miracle win, and the Eagles have not lost since.

They have won eight in a row going into Monday night's game against the host Dolphins in Pro Player Stadium. They can win the NFC East with a win over the Dolphins, or with a Dallas loss to the Washington Redskins today. Asked last week whether he thought his punt return saved the season for the Eagles, Westbrook took a low-key approach. "I don't look at it much at all," Westbrook said. "It started us on a roll, and I'm glad it happened.

But we're focused on the Dol- See EAGLES, Page 5C Previews and predications for today's NFL games. 4C Eagles' Troy Vincent is much more than a football star. 5C PETE ACKERMANGannett News Service Florence defensive end Jeff Eriston celebrates with an assistant coach after the Flashes won the C.J. Group 1 title Saturday, defeating defending-champ Keyport. Two late Jones scores lift Florence to 1st sectional title since 1985 Brittany Sedberry, Jon Anderson run in national meet.

7C St. Augustine athletes learn a lesson about life in Camden. 7C great special team plays to pull out the win for Joe Frappolli, the Courier-Post Football Coach of the Year. First, Matt Ordog blocked a punt and Taylor Lovejoy recovered on the Keyport 34-yard line to set up the first touchdown run by Jones with 8:29 left. Then, with 4:27 to go, Maurice Calhoun recovered a fumbled punt by Keyport on the Red Raiders' 26-yard line.

Four plays later, Jones scored again and Oros added his third extra point. Reach Kevin Callahan at "This is the best way ever to go out," said Kessler, who is a rugged two-way tackle. The satisfying victory for Florence also erases the sting of a 5-0 loss to Paulsboro in the South Jersey Group 1 championship last year. "After last year, that is why we tried so hard in the offseason," said Shafer, who made a number of clutch plays at quarterback. "And that is why we are champions now." Florence, which also won the BurlingtonOlympic League Freedom Division, used two Keyport, from the Shore Conference, had won six C.J.

Group 1 sectional titles, including three in the last five years. The Red Raiders finished 11-1. "We knew they were a tough team, but I knew we were a tough team too," Jones said. Seniors Chad Kessler, Andrew Semptimphelter, Danny Miller, Ryan Shafer and Joe Oros etched their names along the 1985 seniors as the lone Florence teams to win a sectional title. The 1985 Flashes claimed the South Jersey Group 1 crown.

By KEVIN CALLAHAN Courier-Post Staff NEPTUNE This bone-chilling championship for the Florence High School football team was as unexpected this year as it was unfamiliar. Playing with just five seniors and competing in the Central Jersey sectional for the first time, the Flashes rallied with two fourth-quarter touchdowns to stun defending C.J. Group 1 champion Keyport 21-14 Satur- day afternoon. Florence (12-0) finished with its best record in school history, and its second sectional title, when sophomore Abree Jones ran for touchdowns of 7 and 3 yards in the final 8 minutes, 30 seconds on the turf field at the Summerfield Elementary School. Heisman winner Rozier content with simple life Oklahoma QB Jason White awarded Heisman Trophy By STEVE WILSTEIN Associated Press His life spared from a shooting and blessed with a new son, Mike Rozier has settled into a world of simplicity and safety 20 years after he won the Heisman Trophy.

The violence of football and the dangers of the streets are behind him as he spends his weekdays at home in New Jersey playing "daddy-mommy," as he calls it, for 1-year-old Michael Guy Rozier. On weekends, Rozier, a Woodrow Wilson High School graduate, goes off on the card circuit to sign autographs for collectors and fans, and his girlfriend, Rochelle Pacheco, a public defender in Camden County, takes over at home. Sometimes his travels take him back to Nebraska, where he set running records that still stand. People remember him in a lot of places he played as a pro. Fans in Lincoln will never forget him.

"Things are going well," Rozier said from his home halfway between Atlantic City and Camden joining 20 other Heisman Trophy winners for the award ceremony and dinner in New York. "I wake up every day, I'm not broke, I've got a roof over my head, new house, new baby. I can't See ROZIER, Page 27C ceptions. White beat Fitzgerald Eli Manning was third with 710 points and Chris Perry was next with 341. Voters list three choices on their ballots, and players are awarded three points for first place, two for second and one for third.

White, the first Oklahoma player since Billy Sims in 1978 to win the Heisman, had 319 first-place votes, 204 seconds and 116 thirds. Fitzgerald, who set an NCAA record with touchdown catches in 18 straight games, had 253 firsts, 233 seconds and 128 thirds. He was trying to become the first sophomore to win the award. By JOSH DUBOW Associated Press NEW YORK Jason White capped a remarkable comeback with college football's most prestigious award, winning the Heisman Trophy on Saturday night a year after an injury nearly ended his career. The Oklahoma quarterback, who almost quit football following his second ma-jor knee injury in September 2002, beat out Pittsburgh receiver Larry Fitzgerald by 128 points for the award.

White threw 40 touchdown passes and led the third-ranked Sooners to 12 straight wins to open the season and a spot in the Delaware downs Wofford in Division 1-AA semifinals. 27C The order of finish in the Heisman Trophy voting. 23C Bowl Championship Series title game against No. 2 LSU. Even a subpar performance in a loss in the Big 12 title game last week against Kansas State couldn't stop White from winning the award.

His three months of brilliance before that were more than enough to persuade voters to pick him. White, the Associated Press Player of the Year, led the nation in passing efficiency, completing 64 percent of his passes for 3,744 yards and only eight inter TOM GILBERTAssociated Press Oklahoma quarterback Jason White (above) edged Pittsburgh receiver Larry Fitzgerald for the Heisman Trophy. KHICCDLNUlItxl IB) SODOM OiiO-nna-rimn 1999 Honda Civic. 4 Cylinder, 2 Door, Auto, miles, VmtXL0bb324. Tax and tags extra.

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